Being a guy I haven’t really given much thought to “a proper salon” treatment for my quarterly haircut. It’s always been a “whilst I’m here” type thing. But maybe it’s the fact that I’m getting older or that I keep getting condemned for my bad haircuts. (Always relying on the excuse that the apprentice cut my hair, when really the blonde and pink strips should have been a giveaway that this would be a dire haircut). This brings me to the opposite end of the spectrum and a little salon in Fremantle called Nvmen.

It is nestled on the corner with an old blue/red/white striped pole out the front. Obviously a homage to the ol’ days of barber shop standards. With open doors I was told that my stylist would be a moment and to please take a seat. This place was charming with wooden floors and decor that actually matched. These were nice seats too by the way. The coffee table was littered with everything a man desires, to a certain PG rating of course. James May’s rather luscious hair put second thoughts in my head about the trim I was to receive, but regrettably the hippie era is over.

Photo of James May for reference !

I was first taken to the wash basins. I had my hair washed and my head massaged. The head massages are quite superior and with the added bonus of being in a massage chair, I was on my way to tinsel town. After which I just wanted to go back to bed, but that would defeat my Saturday morning trip. The lovely hairdresser led me to an old school looking barber chair. The only thing I can reference here is like the one in Sweeney Todd. Together we conversed on what style I would like and with the American Crew style guide book in front of me I spun around 10 times, closed my eyes and pointed at a picture that would shape peoples opinion of me for the next 6 months.

After conversations about travel to Vietnam and Cambodia we built some common ground, stabilised confidence in our rapport and the hair cut was finished. She then showed me the best way to style it when leaving the crib. All through the hair cut little seeds were planted at the wash, cut and style session – it prompted me to buy some product which I haven’t used in, oh my, at least 7 years and some shampoo. To be fair I had just run out of shampoo so I wasn’t just a sucker for blue eyes and a nice smile.

I guess the greatest confidence I have about the salon is after I finished I was quite surprised at how little the hair cut costs juxtaposed against the likes of some carbon copy salons. Please for the love of god don’t go to these chain built hairdressers, they smell of underpaid workers and pessimism.

All in all a new and good experience from one of WA’s oldest but still remaining modern barber shops. Indeed the NV of men. Gone are my days of taking tickets sitting down and wondering whether the Italian grease ball or the lop sided, multi-coloured rather flamboyant Avril Lavigne will be cutting my hair.

To get your hands on the nvmen brochure, click here!

NV Men Complete Grooming
33 Market Street
Fremantle WA 6160

Tel: (08) 9336 7171

Review by David, feeling the hair grow back by the minute.

Having heard good reviews & keen for a stomach-rumbling-reducing Sunday morning brunch-date, one of my besties and I made our way down to Crumpet in Vic Park.

When we got there it was PACKED and we were very lucky to snare a table outside as a couple were leaving. Unfortunately their dirty dishes were left there for a good 20 minutes before we had to ask for them to be removed.

There is also no queue system for getting a table and we were told they couldn’t keep track of who got there first, which is understandable but disappointing – perhaps they didn’t realise how popular their little cafe was going to be as there were lots of people turning up only to leave due to no available seating.

So grumpy stuff out of the way! I ordered the ‘Omnomlette‘ ($12) – hands down the best named breakfast food I’ve eaten to date – which was free range eggs, mushrooms, spinach & brie omelette drizzled with EVOO, as well as a decent-sized freshly squeezed orange juice ($6). My counterpart had the Mushies on Toast ($11) & an OJ as well.

It was a hard decision given the many healthy sounding choices, including a vegan brekky (although unfortunately it was more expensive than any of the dishes with meat, which was surprising as it didn’t contain any out of this world ingredients). There were also various smoothies to choose from and some delicious sounding porridge.

My meal was amazing, a perfect breakfast and kept me going through the afternoon of window shopping! My girl thoroughly enjoyed her mushies as well

Despite the few negatives, I’d definitely return to Crumpet, there are a few really cute cafes opening up in Vic Park, it seems to be turning into the hip new spot!

Location: 8/885 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park

Phone: 9355 0901

Tues – Fri: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm
Sat & Sun:8:00 am – 2:00 pm

I’ve also planned to introduce more free-range eggs into my life, I feel I may not be getting enough protein and this could be a good way to go about it! I’ll keep you posted

Be well,

xoxo

I love wholefoods and the opportunity to buy in bulk! I’d long known my Northie friends were being well serviced by Angry Almond in Nedlands but I yearned for something a little closer to home… it’s hard living South of the River in Perth y’know!

The discovery of Loose Produce in Como therefore was like a birthday, Christmas, Easter & any other gift-receiving holiday that exists, all thrown at me in one glorious “HURRAH!”

The great thing about Loose Produce is the attention to detail that goes into presenting their many, many wares.

Nutritional information, origin & a detailed list of ingredients are presented on the majority of their products, so if you’re like me and read more backs of packets than books – you’ll be right at home.

Those with a naughty sweet tooth will be thrilled with over 50 choices of bulk lollies, while the slightly healthier sweet lovers among us will be happy with the wide range of dried fruits including blueberries & goji berries. Our baking friends will marvel at the loose cake mixtures, sprinkles and bread mixes available for sale!

Gluten-free products are well-signed as are organic options, with an “I’m organic!” sticker to help you navigate your way to chemical free wonderland.

A really novel setup they have going is the “Jar Exchange Program” whereby people with jars they no longer need can bring them down to the store and those who would like to use them to fill with produce can do so!

There’s a dedicated Asian section, pasta, herbs & spices, organic fruit & veg, organic meat and so much more… you’ll just have to go down there to check it all out!

The only thing I would change is quite nit-picky; as I’m a vegetarian I’d prefer that the cold meat (which is spread out across two fridges) be contained to one fridge so the other products that are sharing space with them have less chance of being contaminated by the meat. Aside from that, I love the whole place!

Loose Produce is a pantry organisers dream, little jars to pick up and fill with all manner of tasty delights.

When you take your presumably many choices to the counter, you’re met with Larabars, vegan cookies and more snacks than you can poke an organic stick at. Just try saying no.

LP also run a variety of workshops which you can browse on their website and often have reflexology and kinesiology experts visiting the store.

Loose Produce

2 Hobbs Avenue, Como
Western Australia 6152

Ph: 08 9474 9100
Fax: 08 9474 9100

Email: keryn@looseproduce.com

Be well,

xoxo

I have a little confession to make…..I am a pilates addict. It all started about 6 months ago when I started to have some trouble with my lower back so a friend with a similar problem recommended Pilates, I signed up and haven’t looked back.

Pilates for the uninitiated is a full body workout that uses precise movement, control, technique and strength. Pilates works from the inside out, giving you a greater understanding of your body. The focal point of each workout is on the core which is your abdominals, lower back and waist to give you strength, flexibility and lean muscle tone. The emphasis is on lengthening and aligning muscles rather than bulking and shortening.

I signed up for a beginner’s course with Pilates Fitness Institute of WA or PFIWA. The classes are one hour lessons twice a week for four weeks, or once a week for an hour and a half for six weeks. All equipment is provided you just need to bring a towel and bottle of water. PFIWA have three locations in Perth; South Perth, Canning Vale and Myaree. The beginner technique class is a prerequisite before commencing any other class.

The class sizes are small, and the instructors are friendly and non-intimidating, they are always available to help you if you have any concerns. There is no age or fitness barrier and variations of each exercise are given for higher or lower levels of fitness or injury.

Initially I was pretty worried as my balance and flexibility is not the greatest, but it’s amazing after just a few short weeks how much I improved. When I started doing the standing spine roll (where you stand, feet should width apart and slowly peel each vertebrae down until can touch the floor with your hands) I couldn’t touch the floor, in fact I was no where near it. Now I can put my whole hands palm down on the floor.

You too can be this hot if you do pilates! (May or may not be an exaggeration)

After finishing the beginners course PFIWA offers several different hour long classes that you can do, which are:
- Full Body Sculpt
- Lower Body Sculpt
- Fitball
- Stretch and Core Balance
- Power and Sculpt
- Basic Sculpt

I walk out of each class refreshed, revitalised and realigned!

Pilates Fitness Institute of WA have locations in Myaree, Canning Vale and South Perth.

Cost : Beginners Technique Class $185
Contact: http://www.pfiwa.com.au for more information.

Review by Hannah, pilates lover and all ’round excellent lass.

Be well,

xoxo

Heath Daly & Emma Gilbert

On Sunday I attended a public lecture (Cost: $15) held at La Tropicana cafe in Fremantle, it’s a lovely setting for a talk and holds a mish-mash of chairs, cushions & health interested folk.

Heath Daly, our charismatic host, runs The Raw Kitchen Cafe & Smoothie Shop in the Freo markets, as well as being a practicing naturopath, homeopath & former lecturer at the Australian College of Natural Medicine! We’re in good hands here.

As is the case when you stumble upon someone with a profound passion for something, I found myself effortlessly absorbing everything Heath had to say as he passed on his knowledge during our captivating and inspiring, yet never evangelical, hour and a half lecture.

These were the topics covered:

- The mineral deficiency causing a major public health concern in Australia (Iodine!)
- Raw seaweed and why it’s the number 1 supplement for the modern age
- The single best way to increase energy (and it isn’t a supplement or exercise!) (Sleep 10 hours a night, go with your circadian rhythms ie. wake up before the sun, sleep before midnight)
- The best immune booster known to science (Vitamin D / sunshine!)
- The power of groups – Introducing the Detox Train (This will be covered more in the next lecture)

The other big tip he gave us was to drink 2 glasses of water ever morning upon waking to clear out toxins & refresh the brain. I did that this morning and I have to say I do feel more ‘alert’ than usual, but of course I’ll do it for a few days to see if I really notice a difference

I seriously enjoyed Heath’s lecture and so did the other 30 or so attendees from what I could tell!

There will be many future lectures & I’ll definitely be there. If you are interested please contact heathdaly@gmail.com for more info & upcoming session dates

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Disclaimer: Talk about knickers & bikini lines ahead. You have been warned!

So! I’ve wanted to try permanent hair reduction/removal for quite some time now, I’m tired of shaving, & waxing is a recipe for ingrown hairs! I was lucky enough to organise a complimentary bikini line SPL (Square Pulsed Light) session at my local Hairfree Centre in Booragoon & if you read on, there’s a special deal in it for you too if you decide to try it out!

There’s a lot of information about IPL / SPL hair removal, which I wont go into here as I’m not an expert, but I recommend you read the following information if you are interested in exactly what goes on during permanent hair reduction:

♥ What is SPL?
♥ FAQ’S

I’m asked to fill out a fairly detailed form on my medical history & skin type, as well as sign a disclaimer. Marissa Pica, the owner of Hairfree Booragoon, is my qualified therapist and shows me into the room where the treatment will take place.

She runs through how the machine works, the life cycle of the hair and why it takes a series of treatments to become ‘hair free’, as well as answering any questions I have & leaves me to prepare (ie. get down to my knickers!)

The treatment room is pleasant enough, with a radio playing (for distraction from the imminent pain, or so I thought), lots of towels and very clean – with a sheet of soft paper on the bed to keep things hygienic.

There is a lolly to be enjoyed & a pair of protective glasses as the Square Pulsed Light can damage eyesight, I close my eyes during the treatment as well to be safe!

The machine hums pretty loudly and I have to admit it makes me a bit nervous.

Marissa draws some lines in white chalk on my body to indicate the boundaries of where we will be removing hair, applies a cool gel all over the areas to be treated (the same stuff they use for ultrasounds) & I prepare myself for my first ‘shot’ of the SPL machine…

It is so much less painful than I expected! In fact, it really only feels like the slightest ‘prickle’ for each shot, 30 seconds on each side of the bikini line and it’s all over! I’m lucky as I have very fair skin & dark hair, which is optimal for SPL, so I think this added to the ease of the treatment.

Afterwards I’m shown the baby wipes, tea tree moisturiser & tissues if I need them & left to re-dress.

I’m booked in again for 6 weeks time, the hairs should begin to fall out within 3-14 days and it’s recommended that you shave any area you’re having treated the day before you come in. No waxing or sun exposure prior / after the treatment either.

I’m really excited about the prospect of being bikini ready with no effort during Summer & the thought of banishing ingrowns forever fills me with COMPLETE JOY!

Now, back to you!

If you’d like to try SPL on ANY area of the body at Hairfree Centre Booragoon, mention ‘Wellness WA’ to receive 50% off your first treatment!!

That’s a pretty special offer, if you’re interested in the extended bikini treatment which I had, it is $95, so you’d receive 50% off that.

Please note the offer is available at the Booragoon centre only

SPL is suitable for use on almost all areas including: lip, chin, neck, underarms, brazilian, bikini line, legs, back, abdomen, chest, buttocks & about 1/3 of their clients are men.

I’ll continue updating about my experiences as I have more sessions, in the meantime if you have any questions please leave them in the comments & I’ll do my best to help you!

Hairfree Garden City

Riseley Corporate Centre
Suite 7/135 RIseley Street
Booragoon WA

Ph: 1300 669 767

E: gardencityhairfree@gmail.com

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Look, I know we’ve been banging on about the Luxe Aveda Concept Salon, Booragoon like our lives depend on it, but when you’re onto a good thing… can’t help but share the love, y’know?!

I decided to tame my scruffy brows last week as they were getting very upset with me and threatening to call Eyebrow Protective Services. My underarms were in a similarly dismal state as I’ve been growing them out in order to be able to wax ‘em. Hate shaving. Love having smooth underarms for weeks on end.

A friendly phone convo later and I was booked in for that night. Upon arrival I was given an Aveda Comforting Tea, a warm, sweet licorice beverage, and told I’d either love it or hate it due to its strong taste! The jury is still out on this one, while I didn’t hate it, I’m not a big licorice fan.

The tea in question!

Once in the treatment room, which was pleasantly lit (not too bright, not too dark), my amiable therapist asked me how I wanted my brows (just a tidy up, thanks!) and got to work.

This salon uses hot wax for both the eyebrows & the underarms, which is a personal absolute must, my sensitive skin threatens to disown me if strip wax / a wax roller comes within 50 metres.

I’ve previously had my eyebrows burned at many salons and I have to confess I was initially a little worried, as she left the wax on my brows a considerable time longer than is usually appropriate for aforementioned sensitive skin. Not to worry however, the wax they are using must be very gentle as there was no post-wax trauma. Yay!

Plucking to remove any missed hairs is always appreciated and I was pleased with the attention to detail.

A bit of tinted moisturiser was applied to counter any mild redness, always a winner since no-one wants to walk around with their “Hay guys, whats up?! Just been waxed lol!” bare face on show to the world.

To the underarms we go! This was painful as I’d been shaving for a while between waxes, an absolute no-no if you want to minimise teeth gritting & cursing. That said though, I am a wholehearted advocate of underarm waxing. Do it, it will change your life!

My therapist was knowledgeable and answered many questions I had about Aveda products & gave me advice for the pesky beginnings of an ingrown hair that was casually hanging out under my arm (all fixed now thanks to her exfoliation suggestions).

After all this, I was given a scalp, shoulder, back & mini arm aromatherapy massage… I believe this is complimentary with all treatments. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Does your salon offer this type of freebie? If not you should seriously reconsider your loyalty as it ended my experience on a high-note and all I did was get some pretty standard waxing.

Aveda Blue Balancing Oil was inhaled during the mini-massage

When it came time to leave, I had an embarrassing incident where I realised I’d lost my ATM card & had no way of paying. The staff handled it with ease, looking after my purse as I ran to my car to search for it and happily taking a credit card payment over the phone (THANKS MUM) when that search proved fruitless.

I was also given a $20 voucher to use on my next treatment valued over $70 within the next 6-weeks, as a part of signing up as a new customer.

I really enjoyed my time here and my eyebrows & underarms are at peace with me once more.

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Southern Crossfit – Better Than Yesterday.

It is fair to say that we are self confessed Crossfit addicts, more accurately we are Southern Crossfit addicts!

We know what you are thinking “What on EARTH is Crossfit?” We know this because it was precisely what we thought before we started our love affair with the program! So before we get into the actual review here is a bit of an explanation about Crossfit.

Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program that is sweeping the world and gathering dedicated followers wherever it goes. Each day in a Crossfitter’s life they will encounter a different workout (Workout of the Day or WOD). Exercises contained in these workouts vary from running, push ups and sit ups to weightlifting and gymnastic based movements. Each session, or class, held at the gym is led by qualified instructors that provide motivation and feedback and assist with completing the workout correctly and safely whilst still pushing you to achieve a new personal best time or weight. Every workout can be scaled to meet your current fitness level which means that literally everyone can complete the workout regardless of prior experience, fitness level, previous/existing injuries or limitations.

Now, when we first heard this we would be lying to say we weren’t nervous and worried about what sounded like a fairly full on exercise program. The biggest step was putting on our workout gear and heading down to our first session at Southern Crossfit. We have never looked back! Southern Crossfit (or SXF as it is commonly known by its flock of members) embodies all that Crossfit stands for. The three owners and trainers are dedicated to each and every member’s fitness goals and the community this creates amongst its members and trainers is social, motivated and most of all fun! Southern Crossfit is one of many Crossfit gyms across Australia and is located in Willetton, Western Australia.

Our typical day starts with checking what the WOD (Workout of the Day) is on the website, this is either a very good idea or bad idea depending on the workout but we learnt very quickly that the ones that look hard or sometimes even impossible are the better ones to attend as you get the most out of completing them. WOD’s vary day to day, week to week and month to month, you will find it very hard to get bored. When it comes time to leave work it’s off to the gym (“the box”). Classes are held in the morning and afternoon at various times but we personally prefer the afternoon/evening classes as we are certainly not early birds!

When we arrive at the box we get to catch up with everyone, discuss workout times and the impending workout. “The Box” or the Southern Crossfit gym is a large building in the industrial area of Willetton. This is not your usual gym. You will not find mirrors here or treadmills, instead you will find sand bags, pull up bars, gymnastic rings and a second level dedicated to teaching technique and most importantly stretching after a workout. For us, joining the gym has always been the same, there is the worry about how you are perceived, the meatheads in the corner always vying for the best position in front of the mirror so they can grunt as they lift dumbbells and the heavily made up gym bunny who seems to be able to run for miles without sweating! Southern Crossfit is different, very different. It seems to attract the genuine, the friendly and the dedicated amongst us. Every new member is quickly made to feel very welcome and just like Cheers, Southern Crossfit is the place where everybody knows your name. Everyone is there for the same reason and this resonates throughout the gym when members stay behind to cheer on the next class or arrive early to cheer on the other class. We have never experienced anything like it!

First we are run through a warm up that makes sure we are fully prepared for the workout as well as a run through of the workout itself and how each movement can be performed. Yesterday’s workout was 3 rounds of an 800m run and then 21 Dumbbell Push Presses with the recommended weight for the dumbbells being 20kg each arm for men and 15kg each arm for the ladies. This is to be done in the quickest time possible. During the explanation the trainers come around and ask if you have done the workout before and if so what weight. They tend to ask what you feel like you can do and will tell you to stick with it or try for a higher weight if they know or think you can challenge yourself a bit more. We went with 5kg and 7.5kg respectively based on previous workouts (which are logged each time we do a workout in our log books. Very handy!). Before you know it the countdown to start the clock is on and we are lined up at the start of the run (runs are performed around the surrounding areas with 100m, 200m and 400m marked on the side of the road for reference. This is excellent as getting out and about in the fresh air is very rewarding on the hots days and refreshing on the cold days).

3, 2, 1 and we were off for our first 800m run which was two laps to the 400m mark. Today’s trainers, Hayden and Cheng, keep spurring us on by telling us our times as we head off on the second lap and offering words of encouragement. Once we are done with the first run it’s into the gym to do the Push Presses. These are tough but the trainers keep us motivated and help us with technique as we go through and the music is up to keep us going. Two more rounds to go! Second round of any three round workout is tough but we push through. The final round, we are nearly there! We always find that little bit extra in the final round and end up finishing with good times. Finished! There is smiles and heavy breathing all round but we feel great for having challenged ourselves.

After the workout its time to pop our times and weights used down in our log books and head upstairs to compare workout stories and congratulate each other on a job well done! The stretching area is fitted out with a padded floor to make it more comfortable and uses special equipment to help get into every muscle. The trainers demonstrate each stretch and can also be quizzed if you have any sore spots from previous workouts during the week. A single class takes 1 hours including warm up, skills instruction, workout and cool down.

Every time we leave the gym it is with the knowledge that we have achieved something. We both live north of the river and travel to Willetton especially for this gym. There are many Crossfits around Perth but this one is our home. Each class can be compared to a group personal training session as the attention paid by the trainers is meticulous and helps you improve greatly with hints and feedback.

Crossfit as a program extends far beyond just going to the gym as well. There are many competitions, affiliate gatherings (where all the Perth gyms meet up and workout together) as well as the world wide Crossfit games! It is such a flexible program that many refer to it as a sport. We prefer the WA based competition but both hope to give qualification for the Australian Games a shot next year, who knows what we could achieve in a year!

Southern Crossfit (the gym) turns one year old in July and we have enjoyed being part of this amazing community during its first year. We look forward to seeing you down there too! As Southern Crossfit’s mantra suggests the only thing you can be is “Better than Yesterday”.

Web: http://www.southernxfit.com
Address: 10 Whyalla Street, Willetton WA, 6155.
Phone: (08) 9259 0003
Email: info@southernxfit.com

Imogen and Astrid
xo